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Make Changes

Perhaps the best way to deal with regret is to change the behaviors you can. It’s like the Serenity Prayer says: accept the things you cannot change, change the things you can, and try your best to distinguish between the two. I can think of about 50 parenting mistakes right now that I’m agonizing about. Try as I might, I can’t peal them off of the anxious part of my brain. So I’m trying to categorize them and see what changes in my parenting style might render better results. For the person who has had an emotional or physical affair, this may mean outlining some steps that will prevent it from happening again. Someone who feels as though she’s missed out on her kids’ growing up, she can rededicate herself to the family she has right now. If you got caught gossiping, temper that behavior. Pay attention to your inner dialogue. Swap “if only …” with “next time …”